Incoming receipts and condition reports for museum objects
An incoming receipt, sometimes called a temporary custody receipt, records that things were left in the museum's care: who left them, why, what and how many, when, and by when they will be collected or decided on, and it says plainly that ownership has not changed. A condition report records an object's state on a given date, by a named person, for a stated reason. Keep both with the object's record. The catalogue writes receipts and keeps condition checks; the registers page prints both.
What an incoming receipt should say
The Collections Trust's object entry procedure asks museums to account for everything that comes in, record why it was left and who owns it, give the owner a receipt, and get their signature to the terms, so nobody later mistakes custody for ownership. Its minimum also covers checking incoming things for pests and damage before they go near the collection.
- A receipt number in its own series, so it is never confused with an accession number.
- The depositor's name and how to reach them.
- Why it was left: offered as a gift, offered for sale, for identification, or for a loan.
- Each item with a count, described well enough to hand back the right thing.
- The date by which it will be collected or decided on.
- A line saying that the receipt does not transfer ownership, and signatures from both sides.
What a condition report records
Collections Trust guidance on condition checking asks for a check before and after moves, loans and display, and for each check to record the date, the name of the checker, the reason and the object number. Over time these checks show which objects are getting worse.
Curatorbook fills the report's heading from the record (number, name, description, parts, materials, dimensions, location and the last recorded condition), lists the earlier checks, and leaves the examination itself to be written by hand: areas to look at, overall grade, photographs taken and recommendations. Record the result as a dated check afterwards so the history stays in the catalogue.
Worked example: a receipt and a report from the demo
Receipt TR2026.3 records Tom Lund leaving Wooden butter churn with dasher (1), Butter mould, thistle pattern (2) on 2 September 2026, as an offered gift, to be decided by 1 December 2026. Printed, it carries the museum's heading, the items with counts, the statement that ownership has not changed, and three signature lines: received by, depositor, and collected by.
The condition report for the demo's Grange banner, 2024.2.1, arrives filled in with its materials silk, paint, metal thread, dimensions H 150 x W 110 cm, condition Poor. Silk splitting along folds; do not unroll without help., location Store room 1, Flat file, Drawer 1. It lists the earlier checks: 5 June 2026: Poor. Splits have lengthened; rolled on a tube. 10 August 2024: Fair. Splits along two folds. The examiner writes today's findings against each area.
Common mistakes
- Taking things in over the counter with nothing written down.
- Using an accession number on a receipt before anything has been accepted.
- Writing condition as good or poor with no date, no name and no reason.
- Skipping the check when an object goes out on loan and comes back.
- Letting a receipt's decide by date pass without contacting the depositor.
Do it in the catalogue
Open the catalogue to number an accession and its objects, add photos and locations, and print the register, labels and receipts. Everything stays in this browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no account. Save the catalogue file after every session.
Frequently asked questions
Is an incoming receipt a legal document?
It is a record of custody, not a contract of sale or gift. It states that ownership has not changed. Have your board approve the wording of any terms you print on it.
What happens to the receipt when the object is accepted?
It stays on file. In Curatorbook the new accession links back to the receipt, and the receipt's outcome changes to accepted and accessioned.
How often should condition be checked?
Whenever the object moves, goes on or off display, or goes out on loan and returns, and during an inventory. Fragile objects deserve a scheduled check as well.
Sources
Last reviewed 28 September 2026 against:
- Object entry, the Spectrum standard, Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Recording why something was left and who owns it, giving the depositor a receipt and getting their signature to the terms, and keeping ownership separate from custody.
- Condition checking and technical assessment, the Spectrum standard, Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Checking condition before and after moves, loans and display, and recording the date, the checker, the reason and the object number each time.
- Inventory, the Spectrum standard, Collections Trust, read 28 September 2026. Used for: Knowing where every object is and when it was last seen there, with a number, name, description and ownership status for each.
This guide is our own summary, not a rule book. Rules are paraphrased, never quoted at length, and if this page disagrees with the current published rules, the rules win. Curatorbook is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to any museum, association, standards body or software vendor, including the Collections Trust (Spectrum), the American Alliance of Museums, the American Association for State and Local History, the National Park Service, PastPerfect, CatalogIt, MUSARCH, CollectiveAccess and Omeka.